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Understanding Themes and Central Ideas in Literature

This piece explains the difference between themes and central ideas in literature. A theme represents the underlying message or observation about life conveyed through a story, often culminating in a moral lesson learned by the characters. In contrast, the central idea defines what the text is mainly about and can usually be summarized in a single sentence. To identify a theme, readers should analyze characters and actions rather than receive direct exposition. The text also outlines common and universal themes for further understanding.

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Understanding Themes and Central Ideas in Literature

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  1. Theme vs. Central Idea

  2. Theme • A theme is the underlying meaning/message of a piece of literature. • It usually includes an observation about life. • It could be the moral of the story, a teaching or an observation of human experience. • By the end of the story, the character usually LEARNS A LESSON based on their experiences.

  3. What is central idea? • CENTRAL IDEA refers to what the text is mainly about. • Central idea is NOT the topic of the text. • Cetral idea can most often be stated in one sentence.

  4. How Can You Determine a Theme? • You are never actually TOLD what the theme is in a story. • You determine the theme from the characters and action in a story. • In short, you must determine the theme on your own.

  5. Common Topics for Themes NOTE: The following are not themes. They are common topics or big ideas on which themes are centered. * Courage * Hope * Honesty * Hard work * Love * Acceptance * Kindness * Jealousy * Fears * Being yourself * Doing the right thing

  6. Common Themes • Be careful what you wish for. • Honesty is the best policy. • Crime doesn’t pay. • Sacrifice leads to reward. • We are all the same on the inside. • Money cannot buy happiness. • Love conquers all.

  7. To determine theme, ask yourself… • What did the character(s) learn? • How did the character(s) grow or change? • Why did the character(s) act this way?

  8. Theme - Example 1 • Beauty and the Beast - The theme could be described as “you must look beyond superficial surface beauty and look for what's inside the heart”

  9. Theme - Example 2 • Aladdin - The theme could be described as love is not earned through money, but from the heart.

  10. Universal Themes • Universal themes add to the timelessness of a piece because they relate to us all--either in our experiences or in our dreams.

  11. Universal Themes A-Z • - abuse of power • - action vs apathy • - beating the odds • - beauty • - coming of age • - corruption • - courage • - effects of the past • - faith • - fall from grace • - family

  12. Example of Universal Theme • What is the universal theme presented in How the Grinch Stole Christmas?

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